Moni the Goat-Boy

Moni the Goat-Boy follows the story of Solomon, nicknamed Moni, a Swiss lad who's convinced he's got the sweetest job ever--- goat-boy of his home village. Every day he collects the one or two goats owned by each village household and leads them up the mountain to find fresh grazing. He loves the goats, and he trusts in the Lord to help him when he has to rescue a goat who's gotten in to a dangerous place on the high mountain.One day Moni's friend Jörgli confides that he has found a valuable piece of jewelry lost by a tourist, and that he intends to sell it to a hotel girl. Moni insists that it would be wrong to do so. Jörgli assures Moni's silence by telling him that his very favorite goat is to be butchered, but that Jörgli will save the goat if Moni keeps silence.Moni agrees, but his usual cheerful manner is gone because of the oppressive secret. When he realizes that he will from now on be unable to ask the Lord for help if he needs to take risks to rescue a goat, on account of the burden of his sin, he begins to think that he will have to tell the truth even if it does cost him the life of his best goat-friend.The conclusion of the story tells of Moni's decision and its consequences. The story, filled with local color of the Alps, is a delightful one for all ages. The Christian content of the story is very natural and beautiful, not in the least intrusive to the story.